Forage-press.



Patented Oct. I4, |902.

No. 7ll,302.

J. FERRIER.

FORAGE PRESS.

Application mea Jun@ so, 190m `3 Sheds-Sheet l.

{Nn Modai.)

WUI/265565 W Mew-A "H (n/iw. wie@ f5 No. 7||,302. Patented 00h14, i902.A

J. FEBRIER.

FDBAGEl PRESS.

(Application filed June 30, 1902.)

{Nu Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2,

' No. 7lI,302. Patented Oct. I4, |902. J. FERRIER.

FORAGE PRESS.

(Application filed Juns 30, 1902.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3..

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V- J z/ezr orJ '//z/r/msses waa-Wm. wm. i 'f Fy/fm UNITED STATES''PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES FERRIER, OF GEELONG, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA, ASSIGNOR TO THEVICTORIAN FORAGE PRESSING COMPANY, PROPRIETARY, LIMITED, OF GEELONG,VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA.

FORAGEPRESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 711,302, dated October14, 1902.

Application filed June 30, 1902. Serial No. 113,823. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

. Beit known that I, J AMES FERMER, farmer,

a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Eastern Beach,Geelong, in the State of Victoria and Commonwealth of Australia,

have invented an Improved Forage-Press, of which the following is aspecification.

The object of this invention is to provide au improved press wherebyforage-such as 1o a mixture of chaff, oats, andrbran-may be economicallycompressed into blocks of suitable sizes and more especially intendedfor transport.

The invention comprises Various novel and essential features, lnoreparticularly (o.) in the construction of the box in order that it maysafely stand the enormous pressure put upon it, (b) in the means foropening the doors without violence after the material has beencompressed, and (c) in the collapsible feed-chute, all of which areclearlyillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure lis afront elevation of the improved press with the ram and box at theirlowest point ready to start operationsfwhile Fig. 2 is a centralvertical section thereof, but with the ram and box at their highestpoint and forage compressed. Fig. 3 is afront elevation of the box on anenlarged scale; and Fig. et is a horizontal transverse section of thebox on line L 4, Fig. 3, Fig. 5 being a similarview to Fig. 4, butshowing two of the doors open. Fig. (5 is a fragmentary side elevationillustrating the locking device for the doors of 35 the box. Fig. 7 is asectional View showing A a modified form of collapsible feed-chute inits extended position, and Fig. 8 is a similar View in the closed orcollapsed position. Figs. 9 and l0 are details of the angle-ironshereinafter referred to.

The press consists of four main parts-viz., a movable ram A, a top andbottom box B, carried thereby, a long stationary ram C, and asurrounding collapsible feed-chute D, attached to the enlargedhopper-shaped top b of the box, the Whole being carried by a suitableframing of cross-heads E and stanchions F.

The forage is fed into the hopper G at the top and passes down betweenthe stationary fram C and the collapsible chute D into the 5o box B,which isI then raised by the movable ram A to the position shown in Fig.2, the feed-chute collapsingwithin the enlarged end l) of the box andthe forage being compressed to a block, which is bound by metallicstrips H after the doors of the bottom box are opened, as hereinaftermore particularly described. p

The box B is made in two parts, called the top and bottom box,respectively, the 6o top box being of half-inch andthe bottom box ofthreequarterinch sheet-metal plates in order to withstand the greatpressureupward of fifteen hundredweight per square :inch-whichis putupon them. The top box is reinforced by metal hoops or bands K,While thefour plates B' B2 B3 B4, constituting the doors of the bottom box, areeach carried by three transverse double half-inch angle-irons L and M,those on the sides (L) being set 7o apart, as seen in Fig. 2, whilethose on' the front and back (M) are riveted together, as seen in Figs.l, 3, 4, and 5, constituting complete T-irons. These angle-irons arepivotally mounted oir rigid vertical standards N, situated diagonallyopposite each other, so that any two doors may be opened at the sametime. Y

In Fig. tithe doors are closed, the ends m of angle-irons'M fittingbetween the endslof 8o the angle-irons L. 4O represents the opening andclosing levers, joined together by a brace .I and pivoted on verticalrods I, connecting the free or outer ends of the angle-irons of the twoside doors B' and B3 and adapted to 85 be closed, so that the lateralprojections O', engage rollers m', mounted on studs on the angle-ironsM, while the rollers P on the vertical rods P travel up the inclined orcurved end m of the angle-irons M and tightly close 9o the box, Whichislocked by passing the hinged yokes Q over the ends of the locking-leversO. When the pressure is on, these doors may be opened without the usualbursting violence, owing to the gradual opening lnotion attained by theconstruction described, the yokes Q being thrown out of engagement withthe ends of the levers O, the projections O' running off the rollersfm', and the' rollers P gently sliding off the curved ends m of theangle-irons M. The long standards N extend upwardly and support the topbox by brackets, as shown in Fig. l.

The collapsible feed-chute D, which is attached to the enlargedhopperfshaped end of the top box, is made of canvas or similar material,the proper section being maintained by iron ribs D', as shown in Figs. land 2, or, if preferred, said collapsible chute may be made wholly ofmetallic sections D2, (see Figs. 7 and 8,) each adjacent section beingconnected together by chain DB and adapted to telescope into oneanother, as illustrated.

On the face of each ram is a pair of slots A' and C', respectively, toreceive the usual hoop-iron band for binding the block of compressedforage, said bands being placed in the slots before compression andbuttoned or fastened together after the' doors are opened.

I'n lieu of the wedges usually employed to keep the forage out of saidslots during compression thin boards R are provided, which also serveasa protection to the blocks during transport or subsequent handling.The bottom board is inserted before the material is fed into the box,while the top board is inserted through a small door o made for thepurpose in the enlarged end of the top box. This upper board ispreferably inserted after the forage has been partly compressed and theram again depressed for the purpose.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my saidinvention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare thatwhat I claim is" 1. An improved forage-press consisting of a top andbottom box, the top box being provided with an enlarged upper end, astationary ram, a movable ram to carry said boxes and compress theforage against the stationary ram into the bottom box and a collapsiblefeed-chute connected to the enlarged end of the top box substantially asdescribed and illustrated.

2. In a forage-press, a box having a front door, a rear door, and twoside doors, the front door and one of said side doors being pivotedtogether at. one'of the front corners of said box, and the rear door andthe other side door being pivoted together at the diametrically oppositerear corner of said box, inclined portions on said front and reardoors,means on each side door for riding up the inclined portion of thecorresponding front or rear door, and means for locking said doorstogether.

3. In a forage-press, a box consisting of a front door, a rear door, andtwo side doors, angle-irons on said doors, the free ends of theangle-irons on the front and rear doors having inclined surfaces, meanson the angleirons of the side doors for riding up said in clinedsurfaces, and means for locking said doors together. n

4. In a forage-press, a box `consisting of a front door, a rear door andtwo side doors,

angle-irons on said doors, the free ends of the angle-irons on the frontand rear doors having inclined surfaces, rollers mounted on theangle-irons of the side doors and adapted to ride up the inclinedsurfaces of said angleirons on the front and rear doors, fixed rollerson the angle-irons of the front and rear doors, locking-levers on thefree ends of the angle-irons on the side doors, lateral projections onsaid locking-levers adapted to engage said fixed rollers, and means forholding said locking-levers against movement when said doors are inclosed position.

5. In a foragepress, the combination of a stationary ram and a movableram, a box mounted between said rams, and a collapsible chute connectedto said box.

6. In a forage-press, the4 combination of a stationary rain and amovable ram, a box mounted between said rams, and a collapsiblefeed-chute connected to said box and surrounding one of said rams.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JAMES FERRIER.

Witnesses:

EDWARD WATERS, EDWARD WATERS, Jr.

